AN: Back again folks, apparently I shocked some readers with the beginning
of this series. But the genres are properly listed, because while the
beginning to this series seem like a tragedy, it'll still be about the
average life at Hinata-Sou, albeit with a newer generation. Hope you enjoy!
As always, Love Hina and its characters belong to Ken Akamatsu, original characters are created by me, but may be used with permission.
_______________________________________________________________________
For Love and Honor
Chapter 2: There is magic in its halls
"I'm not much for ramen, sis." Sho looked down at the two women impassively. While Yuki simply looked down at the floor in disappointment, Emi fumed at the taller landlord before exploding with the legendary temper of the Aoyoma family line...
"What the heck is the matter with you?!" Emi yelled, her hands on her hips. "I finally get a chance to catch up with you guys after five years, and you're suddenly too good for ramen? It's not like I'm asking you to pay or anything..."
Sho was about to reply with a biting remark, when he glanced over and saw Yuki's saddened face. Sighing inwardly, he decided to give up his solitary lifestyle on this one day for her sake...
"Fine, as long as it's not the instant variety..." Sho said calmly as he put a hand on Yuki's shoulder. The two women instantly smiled up at him, and within a few minutes the group left for town, eager to catch up on the old times...
_______________________________________________________________________
"Is it just me, or is all the good ramen joints gone...?" Emi asked with an annoyed look, as the trio have been walking the streets of Hinata for nearly an hour.
"Times really do change, I guess..." Yuki sighed dejectedly. "We should just head back, I could always cook up something for the three of us..."
All this time, Sho had been walking in front of the two, then suddenly held up a hand as he sniffed the air. "Exquisite cooking, something I've only sensed once before..." He grinned to himself. "Follow me." With that, he suddenly took hold of both women's hands and began leading them through a series of streets...
"What is he talking about?" Emi asked with a bewildered look. "I didn't smell anything..." Yuki laughed and merely shook her head, indicating that they should trust his instincts. Sure enough, a few minutes later the trio emerged from an alleyway and looked up at a giant restaurant.
"You're kidding me...!" Emi's eyes widened, reading the restaurant's name.
"Come on, let's go!" Yuki smiled, pulling the two into the restaurant...
_______________________________________________________________________
"Hello, Welcome to the Maehara Cookhouse!" The waitress in front smiled. Her long black hair seemed to give off a blue hue as it trailed down to her waist, and she wore a short blue and white dress which came just above her knees. She then looked up with her blue eyes and gasped in surprise as Sho towered over her.
"Hello Natsumi." Sho smiled slightly. "Is your mother in by chance?"
Quickly shaking off her shock, she quickly scrambled into the kitchen. Moments later, the waitress reappeared with an older woman who could've easily been mistaken for her sister if it were not for the small lines of age around the chef's eyes...
"VIPs indeed, daughter..." The chef grumbled. "Who could be so important that I have to..." She then paused and stared at the trio standing at the reception area. "Well I'll be...!" She laughed, rushing forward and hugging the two young women. "Look at you two, you're both so beautiful now!" She then strained to look up at Sho. "And you! What have they been feeding you to become this tall and handsome?"
Smiling, Sho leaned down and picked up the chef under her arms, much like one would with a young child. "Hello Auntie Shinobu, I knew it was your cooking I sensed earlier..."
"I see you're still thinking with your stomach as usual..." Shinobu giggled. "Now be a good boy and put me down, and I'll get some food to you, okay?" The landlord happily complied, and the group moved to settle in at a table...
_______________________________________________________________________
True to their memories of Hinata-Sou's past, Shinobu cooked up a feast for the trio in a matter of minutes. As they ate, the master chef and her daughter joined them to catch up on old times...
"I definetly missed your cooking, Auntie Shinobu..." Sho commented between bites. "Looks like you haven't lost your touch, seeing as how business is booming." He was correct, even as he spoke, the large restaurant was packed to the brim and there was still people waiting anxiously for a table.
"Thank you, dear." Shinobu smiled. "Truth is, I only supervise in the kitchen these days, Natsumi is the one that cooked most of these dishes."
"That so...?" Emi smiled at the young waitress. "Wow! You've gotten as good as your mother over the years!" This caused Natsumi to blush with a smile, happy to be complimented by her childhood friends.
"I'm terribly sorry, children..." Shinobu suddenly sighed sadly, causing everyone at the table to pause and look at her in concern. "It's just after the... incident, it was too hard for most of us to stay at the Hinata-Sou any longer... I should've stayed to make sure you kids were eating well..."
"It's okay Auntie..." Yuki smiled and patted the elder woman's hand reassuringly. "I know it's been hard on everyone of us... But you finally have your dream of owning a restaurant, and it's doing great as well!"
Shinobu smiled slightly, turning to the Urashima siblings. "I know it's selfish of me, but could I ask you both a favor...?" The two readily nodded, eager to help out a close family friend. "My daughter is going to start high school soon... and since you're both Toudai students now, is it possible for her to stay at the dorm while you two help tutor her?"
"Depends, can she match your cooking?" Sho asked.
"Brother! Shame on you!" Yuki exclaimed, and Sho let out a rare chuckle.
"Alright, alright..." Sho smiled. "I have no problem letting her stay, besides... it'll beat eating Emi's stale cooking when her turn comes around..."
"I resent that!" Emi punched him playfully, and the group laughed like a whole family for the first time in a long while...
_______________________________________________________________________
"Any idea as to where they could've gone off to?" Haruka asked, her ever present cigarette trailing a line of smoke in her teashop as she began setting up supplies needed for business the next day.
"Not a clue." Kanako replied, sipping a cup of tea calmly. "But Sho will be close to Yuki at all times, and we both know he can easily defend her when needed..."
"Hi Haruka! Is it too late for us to get some tea?"
Hearing Yuki's voice, the late landlord's Aunt was about to scold her for being out at night so late, but stopped as she saw the Urashima sibling's two companions. "Well now, this is certainly a pleasant surprise..." She commented, puffing out a cloud of smoke with a smile.
"Hello Haruka, Auntie Kanako." Natsumi and Emi bowed respectfully to the two elder women.
"Well, now I know why you get annoyed when my brother calls you that..." Kanako grinned at Haruka. "It does make me feel old..." This drew a laugh from the group. "So, I take it you two will be staying at the dorm, then?"
"Yes, they are." Sho nodded. "If you'll excuse us, I'll be showing them to their rooms now."
"You do that." Haruka nodded as she continued cleaning the teashop. "And you girls might want to try out the hot spring, must've been awhile since you two last been in it." The new tenants nodded with a smile, before the group headed off towards the Hinata-Sou.
"Looks like all the players are gathering once again..." Kanako said after a long moment of silence, "Think there'll be a chance for happiness in the family again?"
"Of course..." Haruka replied, gazing towards the direction of the Hinata- Sou. "After all, there is magic in its halls..."
_______________________________________________________________________
Like? No like? Please review!
As I've said before, I'm going to strive to make this series look a bit better than the one before. Hope you've enjoyed, as more is coming soon!
As always, Love Hina and its characters belong to Ken Akamatsu, original characters are created by me, but may be used with permission.
_______________________________________________________________________
For Love and Honor
Chapter 2: There is magic in its halls
"I'm not much for ramen, sis." Sho looked down at the two women impassively. While Yuki simply looked down at the floor in disappointment, Emi fumed at the taller landlord before exploding with the legendary temper of the Aoyoma family line...
"What the heck is the matter with you?!" Emi yelled, her hands on her hips. "I finally get a chance to catch up with you guys after five years, and you're suddenly too good for ramen? It's not like I'm asking you to pay or anything..."
Sho was about to reply with a biting remark, when he glanced over and saw Yuki's saddened face. Sighing inwardly, he decided to give up his solitary lifestyle on this one day for her sake...
"Fine, as long as it's not the instant variety..." Sho said calmly as he put a hand on Yuki's shoulder. The two women instantly smiled up at him, and within a few minutes the group left for town, eager to catch up on the old times...
_______________________________________________________________________
"Is it just me, or is all the good ramen joints gone...?" Emi asked with an annoyed look, as the trio have been walking the streets of Hinata for nearly an hour.
"Times really do change, I guess..." Yuki sighed dejectedly. "We should just head back, I could always cook up something for the three of us..."
All this time, Sho had been walking in front of the two, then suddenly held up a hand as he sniffed the air. "Exquisite cooking, something I've only sensed once before..." He grinned to himself. "Follow me." With that, he suddenly took hold of both women's hands and began leading them through a series of streets...
"What is he talking about?" Emi asked with a bewildered look. "I didn't smell anything..." Yuki laughed and merely shook her head, indicating that they should trust his instincts. Sure enough, a few minutes later the trio emerged from an alleyway and looked up at a giant restaurant.
"You're kidding me...!" Emi's eyes widened, reading the restaurant's name.
"Come on, let's go!" Yuki smiled, pulling the two into the restaurant...
_______________________________________________________________________
"Hello, Welcome to the Maehara Cookhouse!" The waitress in front smiled. Her long black hair seemed to give off a blue hue as it trailed down to her waist, and she wore a short blue and white dress which came just above her knees. She then looked up with her blue eyes and gasped in surprise as Sho towered over her.
"Hello Natsumi." Sho smiled slightly. "Is your mother in by chance?"
Quickly shaking off her shock, she quickly scrambled into the kitchen. Moments later, the waitress reappeared with an older woman who could've easily been mistaken for her sister if it were not for the small lines of age around the chef's eyes...
"VIPs indeed, daughter..." The chef grumbled. "Who could be so important that I have to..." She then paused and stared at the trio standing at the reception area. "Well I'll be...!" She laughed, rushing forward and hugging the two young women. "Look at you two, you're both so beautiful now!" She then strained to look up at Sho. "And you! What have they been feeding you to become this tall and handsome?"
Smiling, Sho leaned down and picked up the chef under her arms, much like one would with a young child. "Hello Auntie Shinobu, I knew it was your cooking I sensed earlier..."
"I see you're still thinking with your stomach as usual..." Shinobu giggled. "Now be a good boy and put me down, and I'll get some food to you, okay?" The landlord happily complied, and the group moved to settle in at a table...
_______________________________________________________________________
True to their memories of Hinata-Sou's past, Shinobu cooked up a feast for the trio in a matter of minutes. As they ate, the master chef and her daughter joined them to catch up on old times...
"I definetly missed your cooking, Auntie Shinobu..." Sho commented between bites. "Looks like you haven't lost your touch, seeing as how business is booming." He was correct, even as he spoke, the large restaurant was packed to the brim and there was still people waiting anxiously for a table.
"Thank you, dear." Shinobu smiled. "Truth is, I only supervise in the kitchen these days, Natsumi is the one that cooked most of these dishes."
"That so...?" Emi smiled at the young waitress. "Wow! You've gotten as good as your mother over the years!" This caused Natsumi to blush with a smile, happy to be complimented by her childhood friends.
"I'm terribly sorry, children..." Shinobu suddenly sighed sadly, causing everyone at the table to pause and look at her in concern. "It's just after the... incident, it was too hard for most of us to stay at the Hinata-Sou any longer... I should've stayed to make sure you kids were eating well..."
"It's okay Auntie..." Yuki smiled and patted the elder woman's hand reassuringly. "I know it's been hard on everyone of us... But you finally have your dream of owning a restaurant, and it's doing great as well!"
Shinobu smiled slightly, turning to the Urashima siblings. "I know it's selfish of me, but could I ask you both a favor...?" The two readily nodded, eager to help out a close family friend. "My daughter is going to start high school soon... and since you're both Toudai students now, is it possible for her to stay at the dorm while you two help tutor her?"
"Depends, can she match your cooking?" Sho asked.
"Brother! Shame on you!" Yuki exclaimed, and Sho let out a rare chuckle.
"Alright, alright..." Sho smiled. "I have no problem letting her stay, besides... it'll beat eating Emi's stale cooking when her turn comes around..."
"I resent that!" Emi punched him playfully, and the group laughed like a whole family for the first time in a long while...
_______________________________________________________________________
"Any idea as to where they could've gone off to?" Haruka asked, her ever present cigarette trailing a line of smoke in her teashop as she began setting up supplies needed for business the next day.
"Not a clue." Kanako replied, sipping a cup of tea calmly. "But Sho will be close to Yuki at all times, and we both know he can easily defend her when needed..."
"Hi Haruka! Is it too late for us to get some tea?"
Hearing Yuki's voice, the late landlord's Aunt was about to scold her for being out at night so late, but stopped as she saw the Urashima sibling's two companions. "Well now, this is certainly a pleasant surprise..." She commented, puffing out a cloud of smoke with a smile.
"Hello Haruka, Auntie Kanako." Natsumi and Emi bowed respectfully to the two elder women.
"Well, now I know why you get annoyed when my brother calls you that..." Kanako grinned at Haruka. "It does make me feel old..." This drew a laugh from the group. "So, I take it you two will be staying at the dorm, then?"
"Yes, they are." Sho nodded. "If you'll excuse us, I'll be showing them to their rooms now."
"You do that." Haruka nodded as she continued cleaning the teashop. "And you girls might want to try out the hot spring, must've been awhile since you two last been in it." The new tenants nodded with a smile, before the group headed off towards the Hinata-Sou.
"Looks like all the players are gathering once again..." Kanako said after a long moment of silence, "Think there'll be a chance for happiness in the family again?"
"Of course..." Haruka replied, gazing towards the direction of the Hinata- Sou. "After all, there is magic in its halls..."
_______________________________________________________________________
Like? No like? Please review!
As I've said before, I'm going to strive to make this series look a bit better than the one before. Hope you've enjoyed, as more is coming soon!